Food – we eat it, we love it, we need it. For many of us Americans, food is a luxury that we approach with wide eyes and big appetites, while many other cultures look through the lens of survival. Now, this is not an attempt to make you feel guilty or to put the small voice in your head at meal time saying, “There are starving children in Africa, so you better appreciate what you have and clear your plate.” There are starving children in Africa, but I in no way promote over eating out of guilt or  attempting to satisfy the pull inside of you compelling you to do something about it by eating your way back to complacency. I am fairly certain that you clearing your plate (or telling your children to) is not going to affect those African children AT ALL.

Anyway, I’ve got a lot to point out about American eating habits vs. those from around the globe. Today I would like to highlight fast food.

We LOVE convenience. I’ll admit, it is luxurious to not have to plan and prepare EVERY meal, but convenience certainly comes with a cost. Now, this fact is cross-cultural. People around the globe appreciate convenience, however it looks dramatically different.

For example, in the US our normal fast food approach is to drive thru the establishment of our choice usually to pick up a high calorie, usually nutritionally devoid sandwich and some sort of side item soaked in grease. On the other hand we have  an example of China’s version fast food which is some sort of handmade steamed dumpling served with fresh meats and vegetables inside. Both are made to order and ready in minutes, however in a foot race to a heart attack I am certain the US version of fast food would win.

In our attempts to satiate our appetites for convenience we fail to note the cost we really are paying, both physically and financially, which leads me to my next blog……”And That’s Why America’s Fat: Twice the Price”. Stay tuned!

I am not a dietitian. I do not have a medical degree. I am severely lacking qualifications to validate this title. I do however have experience living in cultures all over the world, which has given me a plethora of knowledge through observation.

I have lived in a tent on a Haitian beach. I have prepared food over a charcoal stove each day in Uganda. I have walked over a mile each way to catch the bus in Romania. I have scrubbed my clothes by hand in Nicaragua. I have gone to the market each morning to get food for the day in China. Each of these experiences and more, have shaped my perspective on the differences between American culture and those around the world. In the sections to come we will explore the theories I’ve developed about America’s health status as compared to other countries. Choices related to food, exercise, medicine, and lifestyle all contribute to what I consider to be an unfortunate epidemic in our culture: obesity.

As previously mentioned these are theories. Maybe you’ll disagree or even prove me wrong, both of which I welcome. Ultimately I hope this will at the very least provoke a desire to make healthy choices for yourselves. You may be American, but you certainly don’t have to be fat.

Check back soon for further exploration of the fuel to the flame of my new favorite tagline: “And That’s Why America is Fat”.